Archives for 2013

2013 proved to be a year of “adaptation” and “advancement” for the note business.
The note industry continued to recover and build as note brokers, investors, and professionals tweaked their marketing tactics and campaigns to adjust to the new real estate market and technology savvy sellers.
As 2013 comes to an end, we wish you a Happy New Year and suggest you take a quick look at these posts. Read (or re-read) these as you get ready to plan 2014.
The Top 7 Most Read Note Business … [Read more...]

It’s no secret the economy and housing crash resulted in record numbers of missed mortgage payments generating investor interest in delinquent, defaulted, and non-performing notes.
In November, the MBA (Mortgage Banker’s Association) reported 9.75% of combined loans at least one payment past due or in foreclosure on residential 1-4 property, the lowest in five years.
While these numbers are down from the highs of almost 15% in 2010, there are still plenty of mortgage delinquencies on the … [Read more...]

Actually, it was the topic of a speech that I gave years ago, but as I revisit it in my mind, it seems that nothing has changed much.
The premise is simple.
When creating and executing a marketing campaign, you have three choices.
Speed – How fast you want to get to market (or react to current topical trends).
Cost – How much (in dollars) the marketing will cost you (including the creation).
Quality – How great the note marketing piece will look.
Every one of them is very … [Read more...]

I wonder how successful a Daytona 500 driver would be if they just quit the last forty-one miles?
I mean, go full-out, committed the first 459 miles, and then stayed in the pits while the people on the track completed the last forty-one miles.
It is kind of the way I look at the month of December for the Note Business.
It is so easy for me to get distracted between Thanksgiving and New Years that I often write off the whole time.
The fact of the matter is that if I “check out” from … [Read more...]

First off, this will not be a “math” article. Don’t get me wrong; I love the math behind the scenes when it comes to notes. Buying notes. Selling notes. Brokering notes.
It seems, sometimes, when I throw a bunch of numbers around in an article some people tend to get that glossy-eyed look. *
(*In all fairness, I really can’t see these people. I mean, this is the Internet and as invasive as it may be, I don’t see each and every face reading this. I just imagine the looks.)
Anyway, there … [Read more...]

How is your note broker marketing plan performing?
Do you get more inquires off your website or more calls from your mailings?
What is your average cost per lead? Is that cost less on a professional referral or a paid ad?
For every dollar you spend what multiple can you expect to earn in return?
These questions can only be answered by...
Tracking Your Note Brokering Lead Sources
To measure the effectiveness of your marketing, it is vital to track the origin of each lead generated. … [Read more...]

Let’s face it. Who doesn’t like to take a shortcut?
Whether you are on the way to work, the mall, or just trying to find your way out of an IKEA® store, shortcuts can come in handy.
This week I was posed the question…
“What are the best shortcuts to getting a deal in the note industry?”
It is a fair question, and, at first, I found it difficult to answer.
What I mean is, I don’t think you can build a long-term note business on shortcuts. BUT, I think you could score a deal or two with … [Read more...]

Congratulations! The seller has accepted your offer to buy their note payments. Now what?
The 3 Phases of Note Buying
The purchase of a private mortgage note goes through three main phases before closing and funding.
First is the quote request.
Next up is the preliminary approval process.
Once a transaction has received preliminary approval it moves into the due diligence phase. This provides the investor time to verify important information including current taxes, insurance, clear … [Read more...]

I am not going to lie, it really sucks doing things on your own.
I suppose there is some person in this world that would like nothing more than to be left alone, sit in a room, and learn the note industry…but I doubt at the end of the day they would be very good at it.
When I look back over my note business career, there were several quantum leaps.
Each of these leaps was less about solitude and more about interaction…interaction that stimulated action.
When I started, I was learning how … [Read more...]

One of my favorite things to do is pick apart marketing pieces.
Ok, that sounded unkind. Let me rephrase…
One of my favorite things to do is pick apart any marketing piece…including my own.
I don’t care if you are trying to buy a note, sell a car, get someone to dine at your restaurant, or voting for Miss-YouTube-Kitty-Of-The-Month*,
There needs to be a reason “WHY”
*I don’t know that this actually exists – I made the Miss Kitty part up, but I am afraid to go check, as I would not be … [Read more...]